In addition to his prowess in commissioning and scheduling for various TV networks, Ashley Hill was friendly and supportive. While at the BBC he left his office door open for producers like me, making him the polar opposite of his predecessors, who jealously guarded their territory.

I frequently sought his opinions on scheduling – and cricket. On returning to BBC drama after a spell away in 1984 to launch a new series of films that we were busily making, I went to see my friend Graeme McDonald, the controller of BBC Two. He was unsure about the generic title I was proposing for it. Ashley popped his head round the door conveniently and I asked his opinion. “Screen 2 says it all,” he responded, and that settled it.